The findings were released by the London Benchmarking Group Australia/New Zealand (LBG) in a report measuring community investment of 42 LBG member companies including ANZ, Australia Post, Foster’s Group, Mitchell Communication Group and Wesfarmers.

The report reveals member contributions to the community increased by 86 per cent, to $295 million.

The increase was fuelled by the unprecedented corporate response following two major disasters in Australia in February – floods in Queensland and the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria. Members contributed in excess of $36 million to emergency relief.

The report also found increases in contributions in the 2008/2009 financial year across the board, including:

• The average company contribution per employee was $653, up from $372 in 2008
• Contributions as a percentage of pre-tax profit rose to 0.77 per cent, up from 0.36 per cent in 2008
• Contributions as a percentage of total revenue increased to 0.11 per cent, up from 0.08 per cent in 2008
• 37,356 member employees volunteered in paid company time, equating to almost $20 million in value to the community
• 32.4 per cent of employees were supported by their company in undertaking some form of community activity, up from just 9 per cent in 2008
• Members have become more strategic in community contributions, moving away from cash donations (53 per cent, compared with 62 per cent in 2008)
• A greater emphasis was placed on supporting community organisations with in-kind support (33 per cent, compared with 20 per cent in 2008)
• The top three areas of corporate support were initiatives for education and young people (19 per cent of total contribution); health (18 per cent); and social welfare (18 per cent)